Container sealing machine



' Dec. 3, I A NG 2 ,Z23,481

CONTAINER SEALING MACHINE Filed Dec. 16, 1956 s She ets-Sheet 1 3, 1940- F. L. DARLING CONTAINER SEALING MACHINE File Dec. 16, 1936 :5 Sheets-Shae; 2

F. L. DARLING CONTAINER SEALING MACHINE Dec. 3, 1940.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 16, 1936 Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER SEALING MACHINE Application December 16, 1936. Serial No. 116,208

'lClaims.

The present invention relates to a container sealing machine.

The machine comprising the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is particularly 5 adapted to operate upon cams of the type shown in my patent for Vacuum sealing can, No. 2,024,511, December 17, 1935, but it will be understood that the machine is applicable to other containers.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a sealing machine for cans and other containers and which is extremely simple in design, and which may be provided at very reasonable cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for vacuumizing or otherwise varying pressure conditions within cans or other containers and which is of extreme simplicity, but has a degree of eiiiciency equal to that oi morein- 0 volved and expensive machines.

In present vacuum canning practice the cans used are generally of two types, one type being that in which the can is finally and completely sealed by a seaming operation and must be opened 5 with a can opener, and the other type, generally used for vacuum packed cofl'ee, being that wherein the side wall of the can is provided "with a circumferentlally extending rim opening seal so that the top may be removed and replaced. The

0 second type of can is also completely or finally closed by a seaming operation.

Since both of these types of vacuum-packed cans must be finally closed by a vacuumlzing and seaming machine. they are not practicable for 5 use by the numerous small plants located throughout the country and having sales confined almost entirely to local markets. The principal reason contributing to this impracticability is the fact that vacuumizing seaming machines are extreme- 1y expensive and the relatively small sales of a locally operating plant will not warrant the installation of such a machine. Another factor is the great size and weight of such a seaming machine, necessitating a fairly large plant construct- 5 ed with a particular view of supporting the load of the machine.

The above problems are of particular importance with reference to the handling of coffee. It is now generally conceded that coffee is main- 1 tained in best condition when packed under vacuum. but at the present time, vacuum packing in cans may only be accomplished with vacuumizing seaming machines, and since these machines are too expensive for the numerous small packers l throughout the country, this type of packing has not heretofore been adopted by them, and their only opportunity for competition with the larger packers has been by selling coflee packed in paper containers and by relying upon rapid sales of small shelf stocks by retailers; an arrangement 5 of doubtful etilcacy with regard to the freshness of the coffee, and altogether unsatisfactory from an operating standpoint.

The machine of the present invention, operating upon a can of the type disclosed in my above mentioned patent, will produce a packed product having a seal of an efllciency equal to that of a can which is finally closed by seaming,

' but the cans may, nevertheless, be readily opened by a removable closure which is reinsertable to keep the contents in proper condition.

It is the present practice of can manufacturers to supply to packers can bodies seamed and closed at one end, it, of course, being necessary for the packer to have a seaming machine with which to finally close the other end of the can after it has been filled. By the machine of the present invention, used with the can of my above mentioned patent, can bodies having both ends seamed thereto at the can manufacturing establishment may be supplied to the packers and the latter may apply the closure of the can of my patent to one end of the can and with the machine of the present invention. By this procedure, the packer does not require a seaming machine, but he is able to market his product in a can which has a seal of an emciency equal to that of a can which is finally closed by a seaming machine.

Since the machine of the present invention in"- cludes means to vacuumize the unit will enable small packers to pack products such as coflee in a vacuumized can and thereby fully compete with larger packers who at the present time are the only concerns which can afford to vacuum-pack coffee or other products.

Another important .object of the invention is to provide a vacuum sealing machine by means of which an eilicient vacuum will be produced in such a manner that the contents of the can will not be disturbed.

In numerous vamumizing machines, dimculty is encountered in gradually producing a vacuum in the container, the vacuum occasionally being so rapidly produced that the products are entire- 1y withdrawn from the cans. 50.

The flow line of the present machine includes valves which will permit the creation of the vacuum to be regulated according to the nature of the product being handled.

Another important object of the invention is to 55 Patent N0.

provide a vacuumizing machine wherein the valve mechanism for controlling the vacuum is extremely simple in construction and may be readily repaired and regulated.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a sealing head which will cooperate with the can of my above-mentioned patent to form an air-tight seal between the two.

Still another object of the invention is the provision in a container sealing machine of :a means to secure the caps to the containers by soldering.

Machines have heretofore been developed in which soldering operations were performed under the sealing head but such machines are extremely complicated in construction. By the machine of the present invention, acting upon a can of the type disclosed in my above mentioned patent, the containers may be closed and entirely sealed beneath the sealing head and then moved to a soldering mechanism which operates in timed relation to the sealing head to secure the caps to the containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a maclune which will efficiently vacuumize and seal a container having a slip opening closure of the type disclosed in my patent for Vacuum sealing can, No. 2.0%,511, December 17, 1935.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby containers will be moved through the machine by mechanism controlled by vacuum effect, this vacuum action being inherently synchronized with the pressure control of the interior of the containers, thereby eliminating all possibility of the machineoperating with its various mechanisms out of synchronization.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sealing machine which is so designed that containers to be sealed may be fed thereto by hand.

A machine of the above type is particularly useful to small packers, since it will adequately seal their required output, and without the'necessity of any other apparatus such as conveyors or any other feeding means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein.

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 1-6 of Figure Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-4 of Figure 1 showing cans in position for operating thereon;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of a can of the type disclosed in my 2,024,511, referred to above, and which the present machine is particularly adapted to operate upon:

Figure 4 is a plan view of the cap element used in the can of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic showing of the valve and driving structures of the machine, the view showing the valve mechanism in vertical section and the rack drive mechanism in horizontal section; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic showing of the cans used in the present machine.

The machine of the present invention maybe generally described as comprising a table l0 provided with a pair of diametrically opposite reciprocable container supportipg platforms designated in the drawings by the numerals l I and I2, respectively. A dial i3 is provided above the upper surface of the base it, dial l3 being rotatable to shift a container comprising a body portion I4 and a closure or cap it from infeed position A in a clockwise direction (Figure l) and by a step by step movement, until the container is removed from the dial by a stationary outfeed guide element It. When a container has been positioned upon first platform I l it will be raised by upward movement of the platform II and into contact with a vacuumizing bell I1, and the platform will then raise further to cause the cap I! of the container to be firmly seated in the container opening by a stationary presser foot l3. Platform II will then'descend and the dial 1! will rotate to move the container to the position indicated at B. On the nextmovement of the dial l3; the container will be moved from position B to the platform l2 which will raise to bring the top of the can into contact with a heating element I! which will melt or sweat the solder on the points of the can cap I! so that the cap will beflrmly secured to the top of the can. Platform l2 will then lower and the dial l3 will move again to bring the container'into contact with the outfeed guide I! which will remove the container from the dial.

' The base ID of the machine includes a generally circular wall on which the table is supported and which encloses the gearing of the machine. A horizontal shaft 22 is-journaled in the wall 20 as indicated in Figure 2, shaft 22 extending diametrically through the base beneath the platforms H and I2. with one and extending outside the wall 20 to .a speed reducing mechanism 23 which receives power from a motor 24. The shaft 22 is provided with three earns, a cam 25 for reciprocating the platform ll beneath the head including the bell H, a cam 28 for reciprocating the platform I! beneath the heating element 19, and

a cam 21 for operating the valve mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 28. The movement of the dial I3 is controlled by a gear and rack mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 29 and actuated by the valve mechanism 23 in a manner hereinafter described.

The table I0 is recessed as indicated in Figure 2 Y to receive the platforms II and I2, these recesses being indicated by the numeral 30 and having such depth that when the platforms are in lowered position, their upper surfaces will be flush with the upper surface of the table. v Each recess 30 is provided with a downwardly extending boss 31 through which extends a hub 32 having a roller 33 journaled in its lower end, the roller 33 on platform II engaging cam 25 and the roller 33 on platform l2 engaging cam 26.

A boss 85 extends upwardly from the central portion of the table, the dial l3 being rotatable on boss 35 and having a depending sleeve 33 which surrounds this boss. A hollow post 31 extends upwardly from the table within the boss 35, post 31 having a collar 38 fixed thereto immediately above the dial [3, the collar 38 having a spring-pressed ball 39 provided on its lower surface to engage pockets 40 spaced about the upper surface of the dial l3, the purpose of the ball 39 being to insure that the dial will be stopped in exact registry with the platforms II and I2.

The post 31 carries a cross arm 42 at its upper end from one end of which the head including the bell I1 and presser foot I8 is supported, the opposite end of the cross arm carryingthe heating element IS. The upper end of the post 31 has a pipe 43 connected thereto through which the fluid flow from the valve mechanism 23 may move to the vacuumizing bell II.

The end of the cross arm 42 which carries the vacuumizing bell I1 and the presser foot I8 is provided with an aperture 45 through which extends a tube 42, tube I40 being secured in the aperture by a nut 40 and also being connected with the pipe 42. Tube 40 is provided with an annular flange adjacent its upper end on which bears a nut II which has a portion of reduced diameter indicated at 52 extending downwardly along and spaced from the tube 48, and a gland nut II is threaded upon the nut 5| to secure the upper end of a resilient sleeve 54. The lower end of the sleeve 54 is secured beneath a gland nut BI threaded to an upper extension 56 of the vacuumizing or sealing head IT. A coil spring 50 is provided-within the resilient sleeve 54 as shown at Figure 2, with its upper end bearing on the flange III of tube 48 and its lower end bearing upon the bell II within the extension 56, the purpose of the spring ll being to hold the bell downwardly upon a collar 60 threaded upon the extreme lower end of the tube 48 and just beneath a series of ports 6|, provided in the tube. The upper surface of the collar 60 is provided with a sealing. ring Gland when the bell I1 is in contact with the latter, the ports BI will be closed from the interior of the bell. The lower end of the tube 40 has a threaded stud 63 secured therein, which stud has the presser foot I8 threaded thereto for adjustment of its position.

Because of the small area of the bell which is in contact with the tube 48, the bell may tilt slightly with respect to the tube. The resilient sleeve 54 will permit this movement while maintaining an air-tight seal or passage between the cross head 42 and the bell. The resilient sleeve 54 is preferably provided with a metal ring 65 mid-way of its length, which serves to hold the sleeve from collapsing from bowed position. Also, the sleeve 54 is provided with means such as the interior slots l4a to prevent it from tending to remain in folded position, all as described in my application Serial No. 116,207, filed December 16, 1936, for Container sealing machines and methods.

The bell I1 is of the same construction as that disclosed in my above-mentioned application, the lower edge of the bell II being provided with a stepped groove comprising a deeper and inner groove I0 anda shallower groove II, a resilient packing ring I2 being positioned in the inner groove and extending downwardly past the outer edge of the bell, though the inner edge 13 of the lower end of the bell extends downwardly to a point substantially opposite the lower end of the packing ring. The lower edge of the bell is provided with spaced springs "Ila as described in my said application and which will prevent cans from adhering to the bell when the vacuum is released.

The arm of the cross head 42 which carries the heating element I9 has an aperture 15 therein in which is positioned the upper end of a tube I6, the tube being secured in the aperture I5 by means of a nut 11 and having a shoulder I8 which bears against ,the underside of the cross head arm. The intermediate portion of the tube I8 is threaded to receive a nut I9 and a coil spring bears against the, underside of nut 19, the lower end 01 the coil spring bearing upon the heating element I9 which is in the form of a ring slidable on the tube I6, the lower. end of the heating element bearing on a flange 81 at the lower end of the tube. As will be observed from Figure 2, the bore of the heating element is is slightly greater than the diameter of the tube 16 and nubs 82 are provided in the bore of element'lii adjacent its lower end to guide and center it ed upon a stub shaft along the tube. The lack of contact between the heating element I0 and. the tube It over any large area, as well as the fact that the bore of the tube I8 extends from end to'end thereof will prevent the cross arm 42 or any other part of the machine from beingunduly heated by the heating element I0.

The valve mechanism 28 comprises a valve chamber 86 in which moves-a slide valve 9| provided with a roller 92 at its lowerend to engage the circular cam 21 on the shaft 22. A spring 93 is positioned in the upper end of the valve chamber to normally tendthe side valve 9| and the roller 92 to downward position. The upper end of. the valve chamber 90 communicates with the lower endof the post 31 through an aperture 94. g

As shownin Figure 5, thevalve chamber 90 is provided on one side thereof and intermediate its length with a port 95 opening to atmosphere and on the opposite side of the chamber adjacent the lower end is a second port to atmosphere designated by the numeral 96.- A pipe line 01 extends from the upper end of the valve chamber to one end of a dial operating cylinder 98, and a second pipe line 88 extends from a; lower point of the valve chamber to the opposite end of the cylinder 98. Thecylinder 98 has a packed piston I00 fitted therein and a piston rod MI, in the form of a rack, extends from one side of the piston and through the adjacent end wall of the cylinder. Rack IOI engages a pinion I02 of the dial operating mechanism .29, pinion I02 being mountl03,-as also shown in Figure 2, the connection between pinion and the stub shaft being through a ball clutch comprising roller I04 positioned in a groove I 05 in the pinion. As is usual in such a clutch, the groove is of sufficient size at one end to permit the roller to turn freely therein and the groove tapers to a smaller size at its other end so that the pinion will turn freely upon the shaft I03 when rotated in one direction, the clockwise direction in Figure 5, but

will be locked to the stub shaft I03 when the pinion is rotating in the opposite direction, the

counter-clockwise direction of Figure 5. By this arrangement, the outward or leftward movement of the piston rod or rack ml in Figure 5 will occur without causing the stub shaft I03 to be rotated, while inward movement of. the piston rod I to the right in Figure 5) will cause the pinion I02 to be locked to the stub shaft to rotate the same. A second pinion I01 is fixed to the upper end of the stub shaft I08, this pinion engaging gear teeth upon the depending flange 36 of the dial I3.

A pipe line IIII extends from a point in the valve chamber 90 substantially intermediate its length to a vacuum pump III operated by a suitable motor. The slide valve Si is provided with a right-angled passage H4 extending from its upper end to its side wall on the side adjacent the atmosphere port 95 and also with a groove H5 in the side surface thereof adjacent the side of the chamber 90. to which the lines 91, 99 and I I0 open and-in which atmosphere port 96 is provided.

The slide valve 9Iis shown in its lowermost position in Figure 5, cam 21 having its low point opposite the roller 92. In this position of the slide valve 9|, the pump I II is in communication with the left hand side of dial operation, cylinder 98 through pipe line III), the valve chamber, and pipe line 91, so that the piston I00 will be drawn to the left, rotating the pinion I02 in a clockwise direction. The shaft I03 will not be rotated by this rotation of the pinion I02 because the ball I04 will move to the large end of the groove I05. Also, in the lower portion of the slide valve 3i, the groove N5 of the valve will place the atmosphere port 90 in communication with the pipe line 99 which extends to the right hand end of the dial operating cylinder 30, thereby permitting atmospheric pressure to flow to this end of the cylinder so that the piston I00 will be free to move to the left. Passage Ill of the slide valve will have its lower end opposite a blank portion of the valve chamber 00 so that the vacuum present in the upper portion of the valve chamber will not escape through this passage.

The vacuum condition now existing in the upper portion of the valve chamber 80 will extend to the tube 31 and the pipe line in communication therewith and during this time the vacuum will be acting upon a container positioned beneath the bell I1 as'hereinafter described. During the continued rotation of the shaft 22, the high portion 21a of cam 21 will move beneath the roller 92 with the result that the slide valve 9i will be moved upwardly in the valve chamber 90 past the opening of the pipe I I0 into the valve chamber, thereby closing off the valve chamber from the source of vacuum. Also, the lower end of the passage Ill will be brought opposite the atmosphere port 00 so that the vacuum condition existing in the post 31 will be replaced by atmos- V,

' cause the pinion I02 to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction, and during this movement it will be locked to the stub shaft I03 by reason of the fact that the roller I00 wi1l be moved to the smaller end of the groove I05. Rotation of stub shaft I03 will cause the dial I3 tobe rotated a quarter turn in a clockwise direction (Figure 1), and the action of the spring-pressed ball 39 will insure that the dial will stop in such position that two of its pockets will be in alignment with the container supporting platforms II and I2.

The container with which the operating heads of the present machine are adapted to cooperate is similar to that disclosed in my above mentioned patent for a Vacuum sealing can, No.

. 2,024,511. The upper portion of such a can II is illustrated in vertical cross-section in Figure 3 and, as will be noted from that figure, the top of the can I4 includes an upstanding flange I at its edge formed by the seam by which it is secured to the upper end of the side wall of the can. Spaced slightly inwardly from the flange I20 is an annular groove I2I and a second groove I22 is provided adjacent the aperture I221 in the can top, groove II2 having a flat bottom and an outwardly inclined side wall I24. The aperture I23 of the top is defined by an outwardly and upwardly inclined lip I20 which forms the inner wall of the groove I22. The upper edge I20 01 the lip I2! is relatively sharp so that no wide surface will be provided at this point. The closure or cap I! used with the can I0 includes a central recessed portion including a side wall I23, closure It also being provided with an annular groove I30. In the downwardly facing recess formed between the groove I30 and the side wall I23 of the cap, a layer of a sealing composition I3I is placed prior to the application of the cap I5- to the can. A plurality of points I32 are spaced about the edge of the cap I5, three such points preferably being provided as shown in Fig- .ure 4. Each of these points has solder and flux applied preferably before the cap is applied to the can. When the cap I5 is tightly pressed into the aperture I23; the points I32 will bear upon the top of the can adjacent the outer edge of the inner groove I22. The distance which the cap I5 may be forced into the aperture I23 is limited by the underside of the groove I30 of the can top, this groove being of such depth that it will come into contact with the bottom of the groove I22 of the can top before the upper edge I26 of the lip I has passed entirely through the sealing material I3I.

The sealing ring. I2 of the sealing bell I l is adapted to contact with the can top at a point immediately adjacent the outer edge of the can top outer groove I2I and the inner edge I3 of the bell will fit into this groove, so that vacuum action will tend to drawgthe' sealing ring I2 down into the groove to form a tight seal. The shallower portion I0 of the groove in the lower end of the sealing bell "will lie over the upstand ing flange I20 on the outer edge of the can top, However, movement of the can with respect to the bell will be limited by the edge 3 of the bell so that the sealing ring will not be eventually deformed as would be the case if movement of the bell and can toward each other should only be limited by the sealing ring itself. The presser foot I8 is provided with a downwardly extending central portion Ila which is adapted to fit into the recess of the can top l5 so that pressure will be exerted both on the central portion of the top and also upon the upper edges of its flange.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The operator standing at the front of the machine will place a filled can such as M in the notch of the dial I3 which is then in alignment with position A, the dial being momentarily stationary. The cap I5 will have been loosely positioned in the can aperturef The continuously rotating shaft 22 will turn the dial operating cam.21 to bring its high portion 21a beneath the slide valve 9| (Figure 5), moving the slide valve upwardly to cause the groove I I5 of the slide valve to bridge the vacuum line H0 and the line 99 leading to the right hand end of cylinder 98 so that the piston I00 and rack IOI will be moved to the right (Figure 5) to rotate pinion I02 in a counter-clockwise direction. and since the roller I00 will grip stub shaft I03 when rotated in this direction, the dial- I3 will'be rotated a one-quarter turn in a clockwise direction, thereby moving the newly inserted can to a position in alignment with the platform II.

When dial I2 has completed the partial rotation described above, the high point 21a of valve operating cam 21 will move from beneath the slide valve 3| so that the valve will move downwardly to the position shown in Figure 5, causing This movement of the valve will also place the.

cylinder .line 01 in communication with the vacuum line I I0 so that a vacuum willbe exerted in the left hand end of the cylinder 98, thereby moving the piston I00 and the rack bar IM to the left as shown in Figure 5. This movement to bring its intermediate high point 25a beneath the roller 33 of platform II, thereby raising the platform to the plane indicated at Ilb in Figure 6 and bringing the top of the can carried thereby into contact with the sealing ring I2 in the lower end ofthe vacuumizing bell II. The intermediate high portion 25a of cam 25 is of such height that it will raise the can to the extent that bell I I will be raised on the tub 48 against the action of spring 53 and lifted from the packing ring 62 so that the ports 6| in tube 48 will be opened to the interior of the vacuumizing bell. Since the slide valve 3| is still in the position indicated in Figure 5, the vacuum line IIO will be opened to the upper portion of the slide valve chamber 30,

and thus, through the post 31, will be in communlcation with the pipe line 43 and tube 43. As a result, vacuum will also be exerted through the port SI of tube 46 and in the vacuumizing bell IT.

The degree of vacuum in the bell may-be regulated by the manual valve 43a so that a sudden vacuum will not be exerted in the bell to withdraw the contents from the can. The vacuum in the bell will create a vacuum condition in the can because of the fact that the'cap or closure I5 is only loosely applied to the can. Also, the vacuum in the bell will draw the lower portion of the sealing ring 12 toward and slightly into the outer groove l2I in the can top to perfect the seal between the bell and the can top. It will be understood that the presence of the depending flange at I3 on the bell will prevent the can top from bearing against the sealing ring 12 with such force as to deform the same.

The continued rotation of cam 25 beneath the platform I3 with intermediately high portion 25a beneath this platform will cause the platform to remain in the plane indicated by the dotted line Ila in Figure 6 for an interval, and during this time the low portion of valve operating cam 21 will also remain beneath the slide valve 3I. Still further rotation of the cam 25will bring the high portion 25b of cam 25 beneath the roller 33 of platform I3 so that the platform will be raised to the plane indicated at He in Figure 6 in which position, referring to Figure 2, the bell I6 will be further raised on the tube 48 and the can cap l5 will come in contact with the presser foot I8, causing the cap to be forced downwardly into the 'can aperture I23. However, as has been heretofore explained, and as is described in my above mentioned Patent No. 2,024,511, the movement of the cap I5 into the aperture I23 will be limited by the downwardly facing shoulder formed by the underside of the groove I30 in the cap, because this shoulder will contact with the bottom of can groove I22 before the edge I26 of the can top lip can pass entirely through the sealing substance I3I. The movement of the cap I5 into the aperture will also place the points I32 in contact with the upper surface of the can top.

After the cap I5 has thus been firmly forced into the aperture of can I4, the high point 25b of cam 25 will move from beneath the platform roller 33, permitting the platform to drop by its own weight to a position flush with the table as sage II4 of the valve opposite the atmosphere port 35 and; after -closing the vacuum line IIO to the upper portion of the valve chamber 30. This will create atmospheric pressure in the upper portion of the valve chamber and through the post 31, pipe line 43 and tube 43, also creating atmospheric pressure in bell I! so that the can I4 will be free to move downwardly with the platform II and will not tend to adhere to the bell II, as might be the case if a vacuum condition still existed in the bell.

The above described upward movement of slide valve 3l will also shut off the vacuum line IIO from cylinder line 31, and the atmospheric pressure now present in the,upper portion of the valve chamber 30 will also exist in the left hand end of dial operating cylinder 33. On the other hand, the vacuum line I I will be placed in communication, through'g-roove II5, with the line 33 extending to the right hand and of cylinder 33.

creating a vacuum condition in that'cylinder and thereby drawing the piston rod or rack bar IN to the right and rotating pinion I02 in a counterclockwise direction. Such rotation of pinion I02 will cause the clutch roller I04 to engage the stub shaft I03, with the result that this shaft and dial I3 will be rotated, the latter in a clockwise direction, to remove the can from platform II to position B of Figure 1.

While the succeeding can is vacuumized under scribed above, the dial operating piston I00 returns to left hand position and after the can now on platform II has been vacuumized and firmly closed, the dial I3 will make another quarter rotation in a clockwise direction to move the can at position B onto the platform I2 which is at that moment in lowered position as indicated at Ila. in Figure 6, the low portion of cam 26 being beneath the roller 33 of the platform.

As soon as the can has been placed upon the platform I2, the high portion 26a of cam 26 will move beneath the roller 33, raising platform I2 to position I2b (Figure 6) to bring the points I32 on the can cap in contact with the depending annular portion l9a of the heating element I3 and pressing the upper surface of the cap I into contact with the lower end of the fixed tube 8|.

The spring 30 will hold the heating element l3 platform will descend. Obviously, as soon as the points I32 of the can cap are out of contact with the heating element I3, the solder will begin to harden to form a firm bond between the points I32 of the can top.

After the platform I2 has been lowered to position I2a (Figure 6), the slide valve 9| will drop to lowered position resulting in the movement of piston I00 to the right and another quarter rotation of dial I3 in a. clockwise direction, so that the can will contact with guide I 6 and be directed from the dial. i

It will be observed that a suflicient time interval will elapse between the movements of the dial to enable an operator to place a fresh can in the dial pocket at A between each movement of the dial. 7

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction shown in the drawings. and that the example of the use of the machine and mechanisms which has been given does not include all of the uses of which they are capable; and ployed in the specification is tor the purpose of description and not of limitation.

I claim:

1. The combination in a container sealing apparatus, 01' a base, closure positioning means rigid with respect to said base, a container vacuumining means coaxial with said last-named means and reciprocable with respect to said base, a valve mechanism to control flow to said vacu-. umiz'ing means, means to present containers to said closure positioning means and said vacuumizing means, and cam means carried on a common'shait to control said container presenting means and said valve mechanism.

2. The combination in a container sealing apparatus, ot a support, vacuumizing means and container closure securing means spaced from each other and reclprocable on said support, a

valve mechanism to control fluid flow to said vacuumizing means, and means controlled by said valve mechanism to move containers from alignment with said vacuumizing means to alignment with said closure securing means.

3. The combination in a container sealing apparatus, of a table, a support spaced above said table, means to vacuumize a container and means to position a closure in sealed relation on the containe said means being arranged coaxially on said support, closure securing means on said support and spaced'irom said two coaxially arranged means, a plurality of reciprocabie container platforms to move containers into contact with said coaxiaily arranged means and said securing means, and means to position containers seriatim on said platforms.

'4. The combination in a container sealing machine, of means to create a desired pressure condition in a container, valve means to control flow to said means, and pressure operated means conthat the phraseology emtrolled by said valve means to move containers.

in alignment with said first-named means.

5. The combination in a container sealing apparatus, ot a base member, a container engaging member rotatable on said base member, means to vacuumize a container and to position a removable closure in sealed relation with respect to the container, means to secure the closure to the container, said means being spaced irom each other along the paths! movement of said rotatable member, means in alignment with each of said means to move a container into engagement therewith, and means to intermittently move said rotatable member to position a container successively in alignment with each of said two firstnamed means.

6. The combination in a container sealing apparatus, of a base member, a rotatable dial member, means to vacuumize a container and to position a removable closure insealed relation with respect to the container, means to secure the closure to the container, said means being spaced from each other along the path of movement of said dial member, means in alignment with each oi said two first named means to move a container into engagement therewith, and means to'iritermittently move said dial member to position a container successively in alignment with each of said two first-named means.

i. The combination in a container sealing apparatus, of a base member, a container engaging member, means to vacuumize a container and to position a removable closure in sealed relation with respect to the container, means to secure the closure to the container, said means being spaced from each other along the path of movement of said container engaging member, means in alignment with each of said means to move a container into engagement therewith, a valve mechanism to control fluid flow to said vacuumizing means, and means controlled by said valvemechanism to operate said container engaging member to position a container successively in alignment with each oi. said two firstnamed means.

' FRANK L. DARLING. 

